Container fill level detection

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for determining different fill levels of objects in the containers for disposable and consumable objects are disclosed. A sensor unit can detect presence of an object passing into a waste container and different levels of the objects in the waste container as the objects fill the waste container. When the waste container is full, a notification message may be generated to empty or replace the waste container. The sensor unit can also detect different levels of objects in a consumable container as the objects are removed from the consumable container. When the consumable container is empty, a notification message may be generated to refill or replace the consumable container. In embodiments of the invention, a notification message may also be generated for a predetermined level of objects in the container.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/790,446 filed Mar. 15, 2013 and entitled “Specimen Gripper.” This application further claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/714,656 filed Oct. 16, 2012 and entitled “Specimen Gripper.” All of these applications are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

Conventional medical laboratory systems contain many components for processing patient samples, some of which are automated and some of which require manual operation. Laboratory systems today have become more efficient due to those automated components. However, there are still several components of medical laboratory systems that can be automated in order to reduce reliance on human intervention.

In medical laboratory systems, waste objects such as specimen containers with expired storage times, secondary test tubes, etc. may be collected in a waste container for disposal. For example, a gripper unit attached to a robotic arm may grip waste objects from various work units in a laboratory system to dispose them in a waste container. To minimize reliance on human intervention it is desirable to automatically detect when the waste container is full.

Level indicators for containers used in the medical laboratory systems are known. However, most of the solutions only relate to detecting a maximum level of the container. One such approach is discussed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,739 titled “Full Level Indicator for Medical Disposable Container” by Bilof et al. However, one problem with this type of system is that a signal is only sent out when the waste container reaches a maximum level. Instruments upstream and downstream of the disposal container may not have time to adjust their processes if the disposal container only alerts the system when it reaches a maximum level. Instruments upstream and downstream of the disposal container may have to shut down to allow the waste container to be emptied.

Another problem to be addressed, particularly in a laboratory environment, is that there are a number of different waste items and consumables (e.g., reagent packs, pipettes, etc.) that have different dimensions and waste containers also have different dimensions. Accordingly, simple fill level detectors would have limited value, since it would be difficult to inform the system how many more items can fill the container or how many more items can be removed from the container. As noted above, this information may be useful when upstream and downstream instruments need to be informed about how they should operate to minimize downtime.

One method that is used to detect a waste fill level using a waste counter in the existing Beckman Automate™ 2500 series (e.g., in an Aliquoting module) is described. In this system, a maximum volume of waste, e.g. a thousand units, is hardcoded into the Automate software and represents the maximum fill level of the container. For instance, in this system, a discarded changeable tip is counted as one unit, and a discarded secondary tube is counted as five units. The waste counter indicates a fill level of the container as the container is filled with discarded objects. The current fill level may be loaded from a memory, which may be zero or a predetermined value. After discarding step, the fill level of the container (i.e., the waste counter) is incremented by one for changeable tips or five for discarded secondary tubes. After every discarding step, the fill level is checked for a maximum level by the software and the updated fill level is stored in the memory. When the fill level is more than the maximum volume of the waste (e.g. hardcoded value), the user or the operator is warned to clear the waste and reset the waste counter. The actual fill level is rest and saved into the memory.

Detecting only the maximum level of the container may be inefficient in some cases since it may result in overfilling of the container if the operator does not have sufficient time to react. Therefore, it would be desirable to get timely information so that the operator can react in time and can schedule maintenance actions accordingly.

Embodiments of the invention address these and other problems, individually and collectively.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In some cases, it may be useful to detect a partial fill level of the waste container. For example, by doing so, it is possible to adjust the processing speed of upstream and/or downstream instruments to potentially allow for the replacement and/or emptying of the waste container. Further, by knowing the fill level of the waste container, another waste container can be prepared to replace the waste container that is currently being used so that the downtime for the overall system is reduced. Embodiments of the invention relate to systems and methods for determining different fill levels of containers, in particular, containers for disposable and consumable objects.

One embodiment is directed to a system for handling objects, the system comprising a container for holding the objects, a processor and a sensor unit communicatively coupled to the processor. The sensor unit is configured to generate a first output by detecting a fill level of objects in the container, and the processor is configured to determine a number of objects in the container based on a number of objects counted by the processor and a number of objects estimated by the processor using the first output.

Another embodiment is directed to a method comprising determining by a processor, an estimated number of objects in a container based on a first output from a sensor unit communicatively coupled to the processor and counting, by the processor, a number of objects. The method further comprises determining, by the processor, the number of objects in the container based on the counting and the estimated number of objects based on the first output.

These and other embodiments of the technology are described in further detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the different embodiments may be realized by reference to the following drawings.

FIG. 1 depicts an example of a Cartesian or gantry robot with three independently moveable directions x-,y-, and z-.

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a system that may be utilized in a medical laboratory.

FIG. 3 illustrates certain elements of an exemplary system comprising a chute arrangement and a sensor unit, in one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates overview of an exemplary specimen output system according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the placement of a chute arrangement according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates an ultrasonic sensor arrangement in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary ultrasonic sensor arrangement 4300 using two ultrasonic sensors, in one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary sensor arrangement using one ultrasonic sensor and one optical sensor, in one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 illustrates a method for detecting the fill level of a container in one embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 10A-10C illustrate various fill levels of a waste container in one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11 illustrates a method for detecting the fill level of a container with consumable objects, in one embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 12A-12C illustrate various fill levels of a consumable container in one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary specimen output system in one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 14 illustrates an arrangement for a bin frame with a door in one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 15 illustrates a method to reset a waste container in one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 16 illustrates a method to reset a consumable container in one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 17 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary computer apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the invention relate to systems and methods for determining different fill levels of containers, in particular, containers for disposable and consumable objects.

Waste containers may be used in a medical laboratory system to hold waste objects such as test tube waste, test tube cap waste, capillary waste, pipette tip waste, etc. In one embodiment, a sensor unit may be configured to detect a fill level of a container. A processor, coupled to the sensor unit, may be configured to determine different levels of objects in the container as the objects fill the container or are removed from the container based on the fill level detected by the sensor unit. The sensor unit may also be configured to detect the presence of an object passing into the container. In some embodiments, a chute may be configured to pass the object into the container. In one embodiment, the sensor unit may be used to estimate a fill level of a container for consumable objects such as capillaries, secondary test tubes, caps, etc., when a consumable object is removed from the container.

A “container” or a bin may be used in a medical laboratory system to store or contain objects such as specimen containers (e.g., a sample tubes), caps, capillaries, pipettes, etc. A container may have a certain height (e.g., three feet or more), certain length (e.g., two feet or more) and certain width (e.g., one foot or more). The container may be of any shape with a suitable profile such as a rectangle, square, trapezoid, cylindrical, oval, etc. The container may have a specified maximum fill capacity, e.g., cubic centimeters, cubit feet, etc., to hold a number of objects. The container may be made of any suitable material such as plastic, metal, rubber, etc. The container may or may not have a lid. In one embodiment, a container may be used to store disposable objects such as test tube waste, test tube cap waste, capillary waste, and pipette tip waste, etc. In another embodiment, a container may be used to store consumable objects such as capillaries, secondary test tubes, caps, etc.

“Fill capacity” may include capacity of a container to hold plurality of objects. In one embodiment, the fill capacity of a container may include its capacity to hold same types of objects, for example, plurality of sample tubes, plurality of caps, etc. In one embodiment, fill capacity of a container may include the number of objects that can be filled in the container to reach a certain fill level based on a certain packing density. The fill capacity may depend on the volume of the container and the volume of the objects.

“Fill level” may include a level of a container that has been filled with one or more objects. A fill level of “zero” may imply that the container is empty. In one embodiment, the fill level of a container may imply a distance to the bottom of the container. When the fill level is equal to close to a height of the container, the container may be full. The fill level of a container may vary based on the packing density of the objects deposited in the container. Further, the density may vary depending upon the number of objects already in the container. For example, when an object is dropped in an empty container, the packing density may be different as compared to when there are already twenty objects in the container.

A “sensor unit” may include one or more sensors to detect and respond to some type of input from the physical environment. For example, the input could be sound, motion, light, temperature, pressure, etc. The sensor unit may be configured to generate an output corresponding to the input or change in input. The output may be in the form of an electrical signal, an optical signal or any other suitable form. Different sensors may have different sensitivity levels to detect the input. The sensors may include acoustic sensors, ultrasonic sensors, optical sensors, etc. An ultrasonic sensor may be based on the measurement of the property of acoustic waves with frequencies above the human audible range. An ultrasonic sensor may include a transceiver that emits a high frequency pulse of sound and receives and analyzes the properties of the echo pulse. In some embodiments, an ultrasonic sensor may include a short range sensor and a long range sensor.

A gripper unit according to an embodiment of the invention may utilize plurality of gripper fingers to grip an object. The plurality of gripper fingers may comprise two or more (e.g., three, four or any suitable number) gripper fingers. Each gripper finger may take a form of an elongated structure that is capable of gripping an object such as a sample tube or a cap in collaboration with one or more other gripper fingers. In some embodiments, an exemplary gripper finger may have a rectangular, axial and/or longitudinal, cross-section with predetermined thickness (e.g., one quarter of an inch or more) and length (e.g., three inches or more). Suitable gripper fingers may be rigid or may have one or more pivoting regions.

In some embodiments, a jaw may be coupled to one end (gripping end) of the gripper finger to aid in gripping the object. The other end of the gripper finger may be coupled to an assembly or mechanism along with other gripper fingers that may be operable to control the gripper fingers for gripping the object.

The gripper unit may be used in a medical laboratory system for processing patient samples. In some embodiments, a gripper unit may be coupled to a robotic arm. Robotic arms may be used for transportation of specimen containers in various areas of a laboratory system, such as input, distribution, centrifuge, decapper, aliquotter, output, analyzer, sorting, recapping, storage, and secondary tube lift areas. In one embodiment, robotic arms may be used to lift waste objects using a gripper unit and discard them into a waste container. For example, waste objects such as specimen containers may need to be discarded when their storage time has expired. In another embodiment, the gripper unit may be used to pick an object stored in a consumable container for further processing.

The robotic arm architecture can differ in complexity dependent upon the given task. FIG. 1 depicts an example of a Cartesian or gantry robot 1000 with three independently moveable directions x-, y-, and z-. The gantry robot 1000 shown in FIG. 1 shows a simple robotic arm 1002 that can move up and down. More complex robotic arms may include, for example, a Selective Compliant Assembly Robot Arm (SCARA) or an articulated robotic arm with multiple joint arms.

In some embodiments of the invention, a gripper unit 1004, may be coupled to the robot arm 1002. The robot arm 1002 may be part of the gantry robot 1000 that is configured to move independently in three, orthogonal directions denoted as 1000A, 1000B and 1000C. As the gripper unit 1004 is transported by the robot arm 1002, the gripper unit 1004 may transport a specimen container 1006 held by the gripper unit 1004.

The gripper unit 1004 may have two or more moveable gripper fingers 1008, 1010 coupled to a body 1012 to grip the specimen container 1006. For example, the gripper fingers 1008, 1010 may move inwardly toward the specimen container 1006 until the specimen container 1006 is held in a fixed position between the gripper fingers 1008 and 1010. The gripper fingers 1008, 1010 may also be configured to spread outwardly to release the specimen container 1006. The robot arm 1002 may be part of a laboratory automation system, which is further described with reference to FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a system 1100 that may be utilized in a medical laboratory. The system 1100 may include an operator 1102 that may use a laboratory automation system 1104 to process samples (e.g., serum, plasma, gel, packed red blood cells, etc.). In the exemplary embodiment, the laboratory automation system 1104 includes the robot arm 1002, a processing unit 1106, a gripper unit 1114, a sensor unit 1120, a container unit 1128, a feeder unit 1130 and a chute arrangement 1122. However, a number of other units (not shown) may be utilized by the laboratory automation system 1104. For example, the laboratory automation system 1104 may include various work units such as an input module, a distribution area, a centrifuge, a decapper, a serum indices measurement device, an aliquotter and an output/sorter in some embodiments of the invention. The robot arm 1002 may be part of the gantry robot 1000. The gripper unit 1114 may be coupled to the robot arm 1002. The robot arm 1002 and the sensor unit 1120 may be configured to communicate with the processing unit 1106.

The processing unit 1106 may include a processor 1108 and a memory 1110. The processor 1108 may be configured to execute instructions or code in order to implement methods, processes or operations in various embodiments. In some embodiments, the processor may include other suitable processing elements (not shown), such as a microprocessor, a digital signal processor, a graphics processor, a co-processor, a microcontroller, etc. In one embodiment, the processor 1108 may be configured to determine different levels of the objects in a container as the objects fill the container or are removed from the container.

The memory 1110 may be coupled to the processor 1108 internally or externally (e.g., cloud based data storage) and may comprise any combination of volatile and/or non-volatile memory such as, for example, buffer memory, RAM, DRAM, ROM, flash, or any other suitable memory device. In some embodiments, the memory 1110 may be in the form of a computer readable medium (CRM), and may comprise code, executable by the processor 1108 for implementing methods described herein. For example, the memory 1110 may comprise a computer readable medium comprising code, executable by the processor 1108 to implement a method comprising determining an estimated number of objects in a container based on a first output from a sensor unit communicatively coupled to the processor; counting a number of objects; and determining the number of objects in the container based on the counting and the estimated number of objects based on the first output. In some embodiments, the processor 1108 may be part of a computer system as described with reference to FIG. 17.

The memory 1110 may also store other information. For example, the memory 1110 may include a counter (e.g., a waste counter) to keep track of the number of objects dropped in a waste container. The memory 1110 may also include a counter (e.g., a consumable counter) to keep track of the number of objects removed from a consumable container. The consumable counter may be triggered by consumables that are detected by a sensor unit as they are being removed from the container or each time an object handling unit (e.g., a robotic arm) removes an object from the container. The memory 1110 may also store information about maximum fill levels associated with different containers in the container unit 1128 to store specific objects. In some embodiments, the memory 1110 may store geometric dimensions of each object handled by the laboratory automation system 1104 and also dimensions associated with different containers in the container unit 1128. The memory 1110 may also store information relating to different weight factors that may be used to correct the estimation of the number of objects dropped or removed from different containers in the container unit 1128.

The laboratory automation system 1104 may utilize the robot arm 1002 to grip a specimen container (e.g., sample tube) using the gripper unit 1114. The gripper unit 1114 may include a body 1116 and gripper fingers 1118 that are coupled to the body 1116. It will be understood that the gripper unit 1114 may also include or interface with other units to enable the gripper unit perform the intended function. In one embodiment, the gripper unit 1114 may grip a waste object using the gripper fingers 1118 to discard it into a waste container that may be part of the container unit 1128. In another embodiment, the gripper unit 1114 may grip a consumable object using the gripper fingers 1118 from a consumable container that may be part of the container unit 1128 to transport it to another work unit in the laboratory automation system 1104.

In one embodiment, the gripper fingers 1118 are coupled to the body 1116. The body 1116 may be in the form of a support structure or a housing. It may have any suitable shape including a square or rectangular vertical or horizontal cross section. The gripper fingers 1118 can be capable of moving with respect to the body 1116. In one embodiment, the body 1116 may include one or more mounting structures so that the gripper fingers 1118 are coupled to the one or more mounting structures. It may also contain the well-known components (e.g., gears, solenoids, etc.) that allow the gripper unit to function. The body 1116 may be made of any suitable material including metal or plastic.

In one embodiment, the chute arrangement 1122 may include a top chute 1124, and a bottom chute 1126 coupled to the top chute 1124. In some embodiments, the top chute 1124 may be coupled to the bottom chute 1126 using an optional adapter or a spacer unit for compatibility or height adjustments. In embodiments of the invention, the gripper unit 1114 may grip an object from a rack or a carrier in an output module and drop it through the chute arrangement 1122 for discarding it into a waste container that may be part of the container unit 1128. In one embodiment, the chute arrangement 1122 includes only a single chute through which objects such as test tubes, caps, capillaries, pipette tips, etc. may be dropped into a container.

The container unit 1128 may include one or more containers. For example, the container unit 1128 may include one or more waste containers to store waste or disposable objects such as test tubes, test tube caps, capillaries and pipette tips, etc. The container unit 1128 may also include one or more consumable containers to store consumable objects such as capillaries, secondary test tubes, caps, etc.

The feeder unit 1130 may include any suitable feeder system to feed an object into a container that may be part of the container unit 1128. For example, the feeder unit 1130 may include a bowl feeder, a step feeder, a wall feeder, etc. to feed objects such as capillaries, test tubes, caps, pipette tips, etc. to a container.

In one embodiment, the sensor unit 1120 may be in close proximity of the chute arrangement 1122. The sensor unit 1120 may be configured to detect the presence of a passing object through the chute arrangement 1122 into a waste container. The sensor unit 1120 may also be configured to detect a fill level of a waste container and/or a consumable container. In some embodiments, the sensor unit 1120 may comprise a short range sensor to detect a falling object in the chute arrangement 1122 and a long range sensor to detect a fill level of the container in the container unit 1128. This is further explained with reference to FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 illustrates certain elements of an exemplary system 3000 comprising a chute arrangement and a sensor unit, in one embodiment of the invention.

The exemplary system 3000 may include the robot arm 1002 coupled to a gripper unit 3002 including gripper fingers 3004. The gripper unit 3002 may be operable to grip objects, such as specimen containers, caps, etc., using gripper fingers 3004 to automatically discard into a waste container 3016.

In one embodiment, a chute arrangement 3012 may include a top chute 3006 and a bottom chute 3010 coupled to the top chute 3006 through an optional adapter unit 3008. In another embodiment, the chute arrangement 3012 may include a single chute to enable the passing of an object towards the waste container 3016. For example, the single chute may be a combination or some alternative form of the top chute 3006 and the bottom chute 3010.

The gripper unit 3002 may be configured to grip a specimen container 3014 using the gripper fingers 3004. In embodiments of the invention, the chute arrangment 3012 helps direct the specimen container 3014 into the waste container 3016, when the specimen container 3014 is released by the gripper fingers 3004. The operation of the chute arrangment 3012 is explained in greater detail in a co-pending U.S. Patent Application No. (Attorney Docket No. 87904-883228), by Lukas Bearden, and Martin Muller, filed on the same day as the present application, and entitled “Chute Arrangement With Strip-Off Feature”, the contents of which are incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

The adapter unit 3008 may be configured as a spacer unit to provide a height adjustment for mounting the chute arrangment 3012 on a platform. The adapter unit 3008, in combination with the top chute 3006, may be configured to have a length that is equal to or greater than the length of the specimen container 3014 such that no part of the specimen container 3014 can stick to gripper fingers 3004 beyond the chute. The chute arrangment 3012 may be able to accommodate objects of any suitable dimensions so that the object does not interrupt the acoustic, light, or other signal used for detecting the falling object, when the object is in the grasp of the gripper unit 3002. In one embodiment, the combined length of the top chute 3006 and the adapter unit 3008 can be adjusted to accommodate length of different objects that are intended to be passing through the chute arrangment 3012.

In some embodiments, the waste container 3016 may be configured to collect the objects dropped through the chute arrangment 3012. In one embodiment of the invention, a notification message may be generated including information about the fill level of the waste container 3016. For example, the notification message may include if the waste container 3016 is quarter full, half full, sixty percent full, three quarters full, nearly full, full or any other predetermined fill level. This information may help an operator (e.g., the operator 1102) to determine if the waste container 3016 needs to be emptied or replaced with another waste container. Referring back to FIG. 2, in one embodiment, the container unit 1128 may include one or more waste containers 3016 to collect or store disposable or waste objects such as test tubes, test tube caps, capillaries, secondary test tubes, pipettes etc.

In some embodiments, an ultrasonic sensor unit 3018 may be in close proximity to the chute arrangment 3012. The ultrasonic sensor unit 3018 may be configured to detect an object, e.g., the specimen container 3014, passing through the chute arrangment 3012. The ultrasonic sensor unit 3018 may also be configured to detect a fill level of the waste container 3016. In one embodiment, the ultrasonic sensor unit 3018 may be part of the sensor unit 1120 (in FIG. 2), and may be configured to communicate with the processor 1108, information relating to a fill level of the waste container 3016. The processor 1108 may communicate with the memory 1110 to determine different fill levels of the objects in the waste container 3016 based on certain pre-determined parameters and information received from the sensor unit 1120 (e.g., dimension of the object, fill capacity of the container, etc.) and accordingly send a notification message to the operator 1102.

In embodiments of the invention, the robot arm 1002 may be operable to grip an object (e.g., a sample tube) using the gripper unit 1114 from a carrier or a rack and drop it through the chute arrangement 1122 into a waste container. This is further explained with reference to FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 illustrates overview of an exemplary specimen output system according to one embodiment of the invention.

In one embodiment, a specimen output system 4000 may be used in medical laboratory systems where specimen containers may need to be discarded, e.g., when the storage time for the specimen container has expired. The specimen container may be a test tube containing material for medical analysis, such as blood, serum, gel, plasma, etc. An output robot 4002 may be used to transport the specimen containers from various areas of a laboratory system, such as input, distribution, centrifuge, decapper, aliquotter, analyzer, sorting, recapping, and secondary tube lift areas. The specimen output system 4000 may be part of the laboratory automation system 1104.

The output robot 4002 may utilize the robot arm 1002 for gripping an object using the gripper unit 1114 from the single tube carrier rack 4004 and dropping it into the waste container 3016 through the chute arrangment 3012. In one embodiment, the processing unit 1106 may be in communication with the output robot 4002 to control the output robot 4002 to start and stop the specimen container discarding process.

In one embodiment, the waste container 3016 may include a height 4012, length 4014 and a width 4016 that may be used to determine a fill level of the waste container 3016. For example, the height 4012, length 4014, width 4016 and any other geometric information related to the waste container 3016 may be stored in the memory 1110 of the processing unit 1106 that may be used by the processor 1108 in combination with other information, such as relating to the waste objects, to determine a fill level of the waste container 3016.

The specimen containers may be stored in a single tube carrier rack 4004. A plurality of such racks may be placed in the deck 4010. The output robot 4002 may comprise a gripper unit (e.g., the gripper unit 3002) that may be used to automatically lift a tube from the single tube carrier rack 4004 for discarding into the waste container 3016. Even though the exemplary system 4000 illustrates a test tube rack, specimen containers may be picked up from any handling system, such as a track system or via any test tube supply mechanism. Further, it will be understood that other feeders or supply mechanisms may be used to feed discarded objects through the chute arrangment 3012. For examples, bowl feeders or step feeders may be used to feed individual objects such as caps through the chute arrangment 3012 directed towards the waste container 3016.

Embodiments of the invention provide for a number of advantages. For example, by using the chute arrangement, embodiments of the invention may be used to reliably allow a specimen container pass into the waste container 3016 when released by the gripper unit (not shown). Also, the chute arrangement can allow the waste container 3016 to be separated from other system components. For example, by not attaching the waste container 3016 to the chute arrangment 3012 or the deckbase 4008, the waste container 3016 may be removed for emptying or replaced with another container. As discussed with reference to FIG. 3, the chute arrangement 3012 may include one or more of the top chute 3006, the optional adapter unit 3008 and the bottom chute 3010. The bottom chute 3010 may be mounted on a deckbase 4008 to provide support or stability. The adapter unit 3008 may be configured to compensate for the distance between the top chute 3006 and the bottom chute 3010 caused by the deck base 4008, as illustrated with reference to FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the placement of a chute arrangement according to one embodiment of the invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the adapter unit 3008 or other portion of the top chute 3006 may be inserted into an opening, such as an opening in the deck 4010, for support or stability. The bottom chute 3010 may comprise a plurality of mounting tabs for mounting on the deckbase 4008. However, it is to be noted that any mechanism may be used to connect the bottom chute 3010 to the deckbase 4008 or any other stabilizing platform. In one embodiment, the top chute 3006 may be attached directly to the bottom chute 3010 without the optional adapter unit 3008 or any other intermediary unit. In another embodiment, the adapter unit 3008 may be a part of the bottom chute 3010. The adapter unit 3008 may have a profile that provides an easy alignment with the top chute 3006 (e.g., square shaped or cylindrical profile to match with the top chute 3006).

In one embodiment, the deck 4010 and the deckbase 4008 are part of the laboratory automation system 1104 (e.g., in a storage unit). In one embodiment, the deck 4010 may hold a plurality of specimen carrier racks holding a plurality of specimen carriers carrying multiple specimen containers. Alternatively, the deck 4010 may hold other means of supplying waste objects through the chute arrangment 3012.

In some embodiments, the bottom chute 3010 is in close proximity to the ultrasonic sensor 3018 such that the ultrasonic signals emitted from the ultrasonic sensor unit 3018 are directed towards an opening or a side hole in the bottom chute 3010 to detect an object passing through the chute arrangment 3012. In one embodiment, an optical sensor may be used in place of the ultrasonic sensor unit 3018 for short range detection of the passing objects. The optical sensor may be mounted on the deck base 4008 such that an object falling through the chute arrangment 3012 is in its line of sight. Operation of the ultrasonic sensor 3018 is further explained with reference to FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 illustrates an ultrasonic sensor arrangement 4200 in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

An ultrasonic sensor 4202 may be configured to be in close proximity of a deflector chute 4204 in one embodiment of the invention. The deflector chute and the ultrasonic sensor arrangement serve more than one purpose in embodiments of the invention. The ultrasonic sensor 4202 may be configured to detect presence of an object passing through the deflector chute 4204. The object may be any object that needs to be collected in a container, such as discarded specimen samples (e.g., a waste tube 4206), capillary waste, pipette tip waste or test tube cap waste used in various modules of a medical laboratory system (e.g., de and re-capper module, serum indices module, aliquoter module).

In one embodiment, the deflector chute 4204 is similar to the bottom chute 3010 of the chute arrangment 3012. In this specification, the terms deflector chute and the bottom chute may be used interchangeably. The deflector chute 4204 may have an opening or a hole 4204A on its side facing an opening 4202A of the ultrasonic sensor unit 4202 for the ultrasonic sensor unit 4202 to send and receive ultrasonic waves through the opening 4204A. The deflector chute 4204 may be configured to couple to a top chute (e.g., the top chute 3006) or an optional adapter unit (e.g., the adapter unit 3010) through an opening 4204B. In some embodiments, the deflector chute 4204 may be integrated with a top chute and/or an optional adapter unit to form a single chute. The deflector chute 4204 may also have a deflector surface 4202C to deflect an ultrasound wave or a signal towards a container 4208 to detect a fill level of the container 4208.

In some embodiments, the ultrasonic sensor 4202 may be configured as a transceiver to transmit and receive ultrasound waves. The ultrasonic sensor 4202 may be communicatively coupled to a micro-controller or a processor (e.g., the processor 1108) to provide the detected information. For example, a transducer in the ultrasonic sensor 4202 may be configured to transmit ultrasonic waves in a certain frequency range from the opening 4202A. When an ultrasonic beam 4210 is emitted from the ultrasonic sensor 4202, if no passing object close to the opening 4202A interrupts the ultrasonic beam 4210, the ultrasonic beam 4210 may be downward reflected towards the container 4208 by the inclined deflector surface 4204C of the deflector chute 4204. The beam 4210 may further get reflected from the surface of the container 4208 or from the objects within the container 4208. The reflected beam 4210 may travel to the deflector surface 4204C and may be directed towards the opening 4202A of the ultrasonic sensor 4202. The ultrasonic sensor 4202 can detect the reflected beam 4210 and generate a first output. In one embodiment, the first output may be in the form of a constant signal with varying amplitude depending on the fill level of the container 4208. In one embodiment, the reflected ultrasonic signal may be amplified by an amplifier in the ultrasonic sensor 4202 before transmitting it to the processor 1108. The processor 1108 may be configured to determine a fill level of the container 4208 based on the first output. However, measurements made by the processor 1108 may not be precise in some cases, for example, when there are fewer objects (e.g., less than ten) in the container 4208.

When an object such as the waste tube 4206 passes in front of the opening 4202A, the emitted beam 4210 gets interrupted and sent back to the ultrasonic sensor 4202. Another transducer in the ultrasonic sensor 4202 may receive the reflected beam 4210 and may generate a second output to indicate a passing object. For example, a short pulsed signal may be generated by the ultrasonic sensor 4202 indicating a passing object. The processor 1108 may be configured to increment a counter based on the second output every time a passing object is detected by the ultrasonic sensor 4202. However, there may be possible errors made during counting, for example, an object may be counted more than once or not counted at all during the passing to the container 4208. If the beam 4210 is not interrupted by a falling object, the beam 4210 is deflected downwards by the deflector surface 4204C of the bottom chute 4204.

A dead zone may be a zone close to the ultrasonic sensor 4202 in which objects cannot be detected because they deflect the wave back before the receiver of the ultrasonic sensor 4204 is operational. An active zone may indicate where the ultrasonic waves may be reflected back to the ultrasonic sensor 4202 for measuring the fill level of the container 4208. The ultrasonic wave would have deflected downwards from the deflector surface 4204C of the bottom chute 4204 if the beam 4210 was not interrupted by the falling waste tube 4206. Thus, embodiments may be used to detect falling objects passing through the dead zone of the ultrasonic sensor 4202 closer to the sensor face and also to detect the fill level of a container that may be far away from the ultrasonic sensor.

Embodiments utilize ultrasonic sensors based on the properties of acoustic waves; however, any sensor unit capable of detecting reflected signals or otherwise detecting falling objects may be used. The ultrasonic sensor is advantageous as it provides continuous monitoring of the reflected signal and additionally avoids unwanted reflections that may occur with other types of sensor units. An exemplary ultrasonic sensor 4202 available in the market is Microsonic SICK UM30-213118, having a typical ultrasonic frequency of 200 kHz and a sensing range of 200-2000 mm.

In some embodiments, a sensor unit may comprise two ultrasonic sensors for more precise detection or higher sensitivity. For example, a short range sensor may be used to detect a falling object and a long range sensor may be used to detect the fill level of the container.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary ultrasonic sensor arrangement 4300 using two ultrasonic sensors, in one embodiment of the invention.

A chute arrangement 4302 may be configured to release a sample container 4304 into a waste container (e.g., the container 3016) positioned underneath a platform such as the deckbase 4008 through an opening 4310. The output robot 4002 may grasp the sample container 4304 from a rack or any such sample handling system for discarding it into the waste container through the chute arrangement 4302. A horizontally oriented short range ultrasonic sensor 4306 may be configured to detect falling of the sample container 4304 into the waste container through the opening 4310. A vertically oriented long range ultrasonic sensor 4308 may be configured to detect the filling level of the waste container where the sample container 4304 may be collected. For example, the long range ultrasonic sensor 4308 may emit an ultrasonic beam towards the waste container through an opening 4312 in the deckbase 4008 to detect the fill level of the waste container. The ultrasonic beam may get reflected from an object in the waste container or a surface of the waste container and received by the long range ultrasonic sensor 4308.

Having two separate transceivers provides high sensitivity for individual functions, since in some cases, a single ultrasonic sensor may not have suitable sensitivity for both long range and short range functions. In one embodiment, the frequency used for the short range ultrasonic sensor 2404 is in the range of, e.g., 300-500 kHz, such as 400 kHz and the frequency used for the long range ultrasonic sensor 2406 is in the range of, e.g., 100 to 300 kHz, such as 200 kHz.

FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary sensor arrangement 4400 using one ultrasonic sensor and one optical sensor, in one embodiment of the invention.

In some embodiments, an optical sensor 4402 may be used in place of the ultrasonic sensor 4306 for short range detection of the passing objects. The optical sensor 4402 may be mounted on the deckbase 4008 near the chute arrangement 4302 such that an object falling through the chute arrangement 4302 is in its line of sight. The optical sensor 4402 may be configured to detect a change in light when a sample container passes through the chute arrangement 4302. In some embodiments, the optical sensor 4402 may be implemented as a light barrier or a light curtain comprising multiple light barriers in parallel.

In some embodiments, a fill level of a waste container (e.g., the container 4208) may be determined using the sensor unit. As the objects are dropped in the waste container, due to uneven geometries of the objects such as tubes, the container may not be filled optimally and uneven stacking of the objects may lead to heap building in the container. Even though a fill level detected by the sensor unit may indicate a maximum fill level due to the heap, a counter value that is used to keep track of dropped objects may indicate that there may still be space left in the container. Embodiments of the invention provide a method to reduce the effect of a possible error made in counting and a possible error made in measuring a fill level in the container by using both of the values and weighting the values to determine a fill level. The values may weighted differently as the objects fill the container. A method to determine a fill level of a waste container for disposable objects, such as test tubes, test tube caps, pipettes and capillaries is described below with reference to FIG. 9 and FIGS. 10A-10C.

FIG. 9 illustrates a method 4500 for detecting the fill level of a container in one embodiment of the invention.

In step 4502, a maximum fill level “H” of a container may be determined. In one embodiment, the maximum fill level may be determined by optimally (or non-optimally) filling a container to its maximum capacity with objects with one or more known geometric dimensions. Referring back to FIG. 4, a maximum fill level “H” of the container 3016 may be determined based on the height 4012, length 4014 and the width 4016 of the container 3016 as well as one or more known geometric dimensions of the object. Note that based on the packing density, the maximum fill level “H” may vary for each type of object and for each type of container.

In step 4504, a passing object directed to the container is detected using a sensor unit. Referring back to FIG. 6, the sensor unit 4202 may be configured to detect the waste tube 4206 falling into the container 4208. In one embodiment, the falling waste tube 4206 may be detected using a short range portion of the sensor unit 4202. In one embodiment, the falling waste tube 4206 may be detected using a short range ultrasonic sensor 4306 or an optical sensor 4402.

In step 4506, a waste counter value is incremented when the passing object is detected. For example, a waste counter may be initialized to zero in the memory 1110 of the processing unit 1106 to which the sensor unit 4202 may be communicatively coupled to. In some embodiments, if there are already objects in the container, the waste counter may be initialized to a value determined by the processor based on a fill level of the container, as discussed later. When the sensor unit 4202 detects the falling waste tube 4206, it generates an output that is transmitted to the processor 1108. The processor 1108 may communicate with the memory 1110 to increment the waste counter based on the output. The waste counter may represent a number of objects counted by the processor 1108. However, there may be possible errors made during counting, e.g., the passing object may be counted more than once or not counted at all.

In step 4508, a fill level H₁ of the container is measured using the sensor unit. Referring back to FIG. 6, in the absence of the waste tube 4206, the beam 4210 gets reflected downwards from the deflector surface 4204C of the bottom chute 4204 and further gets reflected from the surface of the waste tube 4206 deposited in the container 4208. Based on the amplitude of the reflected signal, the sensor unit 4202 may generate an output that is transmitted to the processor 1108. The processor 1108 may determine an estimate for a number of objects in the container 4208 using a measurement based on the output. For example, the processor 1108 may determine an estimate for the number of objects in the container for a given fill level by dividing a volume of the container for the given fill level (e.g., (H₁* cross sectional area of the container) by a volume of the object. Embodiments of the invention may provide an estimate of the fill level that may be in between zero and full, e.g., quarter full, forty percent full, half full, eighty percent full, etc. In one embodiment, the output may be generated by the long range sensor 4308.

In step 4510, a value for a number of objects in the container is determined by the processor based on the waste counter value and the estimate for the number of objects in the container. In one embodiment of the invention, the waste counter value and the estimated number of objects are weighted using different weight factors that may change based on the fill level of the container.

As shown in FIG. 10A, a level 4604 represents maximum fill level “H” of a waste container such as the container 4208. A level 4606 represents a (partial) fill level “H₁” when a waste tube 4602 with at least one known geometric dimension is dropped in to the empty waste container. In one embodiment, based on the maximum fill level H, the fill level H₁ and the information that at least one waste tube 4602 with known geometric dimensions was dropped in the container, the number of waste tubes that may possibly additionally fit in the waste container can be calculated by the processor 1108.

In step 4512, the value for the number of objects in the container is corrected by the processor based on a weighted average. Different objects may have varying dimensions (e.g., a long side and a short side of the object). As a result of the varying dimensions, the fill level H₁ may differ significantly from an ideal level for an optimized packing density of the objects in the container. In one embodiment, for up to the maximum capacity or a part of the maximum capacity (e.g., 1/10^(th) of a maximum capacity) for a container, the value for the number of objects in the container may be further corrected as discussed below. In one embodiment, the corrected value may be used by the output robot 4002 (as shown in FIG. 4) to determine how many more waste tubes may be dropped (e.g., using the gripper unit 3002) into the container 3016. Calculating a more realistic fill level of the container may help to avoid surprises. For example, a waste container may be full due to irregular stacking, even though a waste counter may indicate that there is still space left in the container to hold more objects.

In one embodiment, the number of objects in the container may be represented as:

X=(N _(count) *W _(count))+(N _(meas) *W _(meas))   Equation (1)

where,

N_(count)=number of counted objects,

W_(count)=a first weight factor for counted objects,

N_(meas)=number of objects estimated from measurement and

W_(meas)=a second weight factor for estimation from measurement.

In one embodiment, N_(count) is same as the waste counter that may be incremented by the processor 1108 based on the output from the sensor unit every time the presence of a passing object is detected by the sensor unit. N_(meas) may be calculated by the processor 1108 based on the output from the sensor unit after detecting a fill level H₁ of the container. For example, for a given fill level H₁, the N_(meas) may be determined by the processor 1108 using the following equation:

N _(meas)=(H ₁*cross sectional area (container))/volume of the object.   Equation (2)

The first weight factor W_(count) and the second weight factor W_(meas) may be stored in the memory 1110 and can be pre-determined by the processor 1108 based on the geometric dimensions of the object and the container. In one embodiment, the first weight factor W_(count) and the second weight factor W_(meas) may be used as specified in Table 1 below:

Objects in the waste container W_(count) W_(meas)  0-10 1 0 11-20 0.75 0.25 21-30 0.5 0.5 31-40 0.25 0.75 41-50 0.1 0.9 51+ 0 1

After reaching a predetermined count (e.g., approximately 1/10^(th) of the given maximum capacity) for a container, the estimation will be more and more precise and may not need to be corrected any longer. As shown in the exemplary Table 1, when the number of objects in a container is more than 50, no weight is given to the number of counted objects (e.g., W_(count) is zero). The measured fill level becomes more accurate when more objects are present in the container.

As illustrated in FIG. 10B, as additional objects are dropped into the waste container, the fill level H₁ increases to a level 4608. As discussed above, the fill level measurement value may have more weight than the counted value, as the fill level measurement value may provide a more realistic estimate of the number of objects in the container.

In step 4514, a number of objects further fitting in the container may be determined by the processor. For example, a value for a number of the objects that will additionally fit in the waste container may be determined by the processor 1108 by subtracting the number of objects in the container (from equation 1) from a maximum number of objects that will fit in the container. In one embodiment, the maximum number of objects that will fit in the container may be determined by the processor 1108 by dividing a volume of the container with a volume of the object for a given packing density.

In step 4516, it is determined if the fill level H₁ matches the maximum fill level H. If the fill level H₁ is less than the maximum fill level H, then additional passing objects may be detected as shown in step 4504 since the container is not yet full. As shown in FIG. 10C, if the fill level H₁ matches the maximum fill level H, the container may be full. In some embodiments, instead of the maximum fill level H, the fill level H₁ may be compared with a predetermined value to generate notification messages for different fill levels. Embodiments of the invention provide a more realistic estimate of the true fill level of the container so that an operator or a user can react in time and can schedule maintenance actions accordingly.

In step 4518, if the fill level H₁ matches the maximum fill level H, a notification message may be generated. For example, the notification message may include an alert message to empty the container or replace a full container with an empty container. However, in most cases, there may still be space in the waste container to the left and right of the highest fill level due to non-optimal deposit of the objects as they fall in the container. In one embodiment, the processor 1108 may compare the fill level H₁ with the predetermined maximum fill level H based on the output from the sensor unit and may generate the notification message. In one embodiment, the notification message is provided to the operator 1102 so that the container may be emptied or replaced with another empty container. In some cases, it may be desirable to have the container only partially full, e.g., eighty percent full or half full. In embodiments of the invention, a notification message may be generated for a partial fill level of the container. In some embodiments, it may be advantageous to have a notification for a partial fill level so that the upstream and downstream modules may adjust their processes knowing how many more waste objects can be filled in the container. In some embodiments, a programmable predetermined level may be stored in the memory 1110 for generating the notification message, e.g., half fill level or sixty percent fill level.

In one embodiment, handling of consumable objects (i.e., objects that are removed from a container to be consumed later) will follow a reverse method as compared to the one discussed for the disposable objects with reference to FIGS. 10A-10C. Handling of the consumable objects is further discussed with reference to FIG. 11 and FIGS. 12A-12C.

FIG. 11 illustrates a method 4700 for detecting the fill level of a container with consumable objects, in one embodiment of the invention.

In step 4702, a maximum fill level “H” of a container is determined. In the beginning, consumable objects may be filled in a container, e.g., a consumable container 4800, as shown in FIG. 12A, that may be part of the container unit 1128. In some embodiments, the consumable objects may be fed into the consumable container 4800 using the feeder unit 1130, such as a bowl feeder or a step feeder. In one embodiment, the consumable objects may be handled by an object handling unit that may be part of the laboratory automation system 1104.

As shown in FIG. 12A, a level detection sensor may be used to detect whether the consumable objects were filled in the consumable container 4800 up to a predetermined maximum level 4802 (e.g., H₁=H). In one embodiment, the level detection sensor may be part of the sensor unit 1120. For example, the ultrasonic sensor 4308 may be used to detect the measured fill level H₁, as discussed with reference to FIGS. 10A-10C. Alternatively, a light barrier located close to the top of the container (as shown in FIG. 12A) may be used to detect the level of the filled objects. If the desired maximum level is not reached, an alert message may be generated by the processing unit coupled to the appropriate sensor unit. For example, the alert message may be sent to the operator 1102 so that the operator 1102 may fill the consumable container to a defined or predetermined maximum level.

In step 4704, a consumable counter value is set to a defined maximum value for a given container and the object. In one embodiment, the maximum value of the consumable counter may be determined by the processing unit 1106 based on the known dimensions (e.g., width, height and length) of the consumable container and one or more geometric dimensions of the object, as discussed previously. For example, the maximum value may be determined by dividing a volume of the container by a volume of the object for a given packing density. In one embodiment, the consumable counter value may be stored in the memory 1110 and controlled by the processor 1108.

In step 4706, the counter value is decremented when a consumable object is removed from the container. In some embodiments, a gripper unit such as the gripper unit 3002 may be used to remove an object from the consumable container 4800 and transport it for further processing. For example, the gripper unit 3002 may be used to remove a cap from the container filled with caps to transport it to a storage unit to close a sample tube for storage or other purposes.

In step 4708, the fill level H₁ of the container is determined using a sensor unit. For example, the long range sensor 4308 may be used to detect the fill level of the consumable container. As shown in FIG. 12B, the (partial) fill level H₁ may be reduced to a level 4804 as objects are removed from the consumable container 4800.

In step 4710, a value for number of consumable objects remaining in the container is determined. In one embodiment, the value for the number of objects still remaining in the container may be determined based on the value of the consumable counter, and the fill level H₁ as measured by the sensor unit. However, due to errors in counting, the irregular geometry of the consumable objects and the varying packing density of the consumable objects in the container, the value may need to be corrected as fewer objects are remaining in the consumable container.

In step 4712, the value is corrected based on a weighted average using equation (1) as discussed previously. For example, more weight may be given to the measured fill level N_(meas) in the beginning (e.g., the container is almost full) when fewer objects are removed from the container, whereas, more weight may be given to the counter N_(count) towards the end when there are fewer objects left in the container (e.g., the container is almost empty). Note that since N_(count) is initialized to a maximum counter value and is decremented every time an object is removed, N_(count) in equation 1 represents the number of objects remaining in the container as counted by the processor.

In step 4714, it is determined if the fill level H₁ is zero. If the corrected value for the remaining consumable objects in the container is zero, the container may be empty and may need to be refilled again. As shown in FIG. 12C, a level 4806 represents a zero fill level H₁.

In step 4716, if the fill level is zero, a notification message may be generated to refill the container. In one embodiment, the processor 1108 may compare the fill level H₁ to be zero based on the output from the sensor unit and generate the notification message. In one embodiment, the notification message is provided to the operator 1102 so that the container may be refilled or replaced with another full container. In one embodiment, a notification may be generated for a predetermined fill level of the container. In some embodiments, it may be advantageous to have a notification for a partial fill level so that the upstream and downstream modules may adjust their processes knowing how many more consumable objects are still remaining in the container. Thus, an operator or a user may align refill exchange of different consumables based on a realistic value of the objects left in the container. For example, a notification message may be generated when the container is almost empty (e.g., ninety five percent) instead of completely empty. Therefore, by receiving a notification message that a first consumable container may be getting empty soon, a second consumable container may be prepared without any downtime during the normal operation of the subsystem.

In one embodiment, a plurality of containers may be used, as discussed with reference to FIG. 13.

FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary specimen output system 4900.

As illustrated in the figure, the deck 4010 may be coupled to an output frame 4906 with a plurality of containers 4904 located underneath the deck 4010. The plurality of containers 4904 may be part of the container unit 1128 as shown in FIG. 2. In one embodiment, discarded objects may be released in one of the containers 4904. For example, the output robot 4002 may grip an object using the gripper unit 3002 to drop objects in to one of the plurality of containers 4904. In another embodiment, the containers 4904 may be filled with consumable objects that can be removed by the output robot 4002 using the gripper unit 3002 and transported to another unit for further processing. A system 4902 may be configured to control the output robot 4002 to grip the objects for disposal or pick up the consumable objects from the containers 4904. In one embodiment, a sensor unit such as the sensor unit 1120 may be configured to detect the fill level of the containers 4904 in collaboration with the processing unit 1106 that may be part of the system 4902. As illustrated in the figure, one or more containers 4904 may be easily removed or replaced without affecting the whole arrangement.

FIG. 14 illustrates an arrangement 5000 for a bin frame 5006 with a door 5004.

A container 5002 may be positioned to collect an object dropped through the chute arrangment 3012. The bottom part of the chute arrangment 3012 may be mounted on the deckbase 4008. The ultrasonic sensor 3018 may be configured to detect a passing object through the chute arrangment 3012 into the waste container 5002. The ultrasonic sensor 3018 may also be configured to detect the fill level of the container 5002. An output robot (e.g., the output robot 4002) may be configured to control a robotic gripper (i.e., gripper unit 3002) to grip an object (i.e., disposable specimen container) from an object handling unit and drop it though the chute arrangment 3012. Alternatively, an object may be removed from the container 5002 filled with the consumable objects. In some embodiments, after emptying the waste container or refilling the consumable container, the filling level may need to be reset, as discussed with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16.

In one embodiment, to reset the filling level after emptying the disposable objects from a waste container following steps may be performed, as discussed with reference to FIG. 15.

In step 5102, an operator removes the waste container to empty out the disposable or waste objects. Referring back to FIG. 14, the operator may request opening of the door 5004 to access the container 5002 to empty out the container. In one embodiment, the arrangement 5000 may be coupled to the system 4902 that operates as a controller. The system may notice the removal of the container 5002 or the opening of the door 5004. For example, opening of the door 5004 may be detected using a light barrier and /or a door status switch. The sub-system, e.g., the output robot 4002, may temporarily be set on hold so that the container 5002 is not accessed while the door 5004 is open and the container 5002 is removed.

In step 5104, the operator may insert a waste container. For example, the operator may insert the container 5002 back after emptying it out or insert another empty container (e.g., in the plurality of containers 4904 as shown in FIG. 13). In some embodiments, the operator may close the door 5004. Closing of the door may be detected by the system, e.g., using a light barrier.

In step 5106, a sensor unit such as the sensor unit 4202 detects a fill level H₁ as discussed previously with reference to FIGS. 9, 10A-10C.

In step 5108, the fill level H₁ is compared with the maximum fill level H to determine if the container 5002 is empty.

In step 5110, if the fill level H₁ is equal to the maximum fill level H, the waste counter is set to zero since the container 5002 is empty.

In step 5112, if the fill level H₁ is less than the maximum fill level H, the waste counter may be set to a value calculated using the latest average fill height of one piece of waste object, the latest waste counter, the latest fill level H₁, and the difference between H and H₁. In one embodiment, the latest waste counter and the latest fill level H₁ may be equal to the last value of the waste counter and H₁ stored in the memory 1110 before the container 5002 was removed. In some embodiments, the latest average fill height may represent an average of various fill heights of the waste object memorized by the system over the use of the system.

In step 5114, a status of the subsystem may be set to “functional” again so that the container 5002 may be filled with more waste objects.

In one embodiment, when two waste containers are used instead of a single waste container, one of the two waste container may be emptied without interrupting the work cycle of the system.

In one embodiment, to reset the filling level after refilling of the consumable objects into a container such as the container 5002, following steps are performed, as discussed with reference to FIG. 16.

To remove a consumable container for refilling by opening a door, steps 5102 and 5104 are followed, as discussed with reference to FIG. 15.

In step 5202, the operator fills in the consumable container with the standard bulk cargo, e.g., push caps, secondary test tubes, capillaries, etc. The operator may further insert the container 5002 and close the door 5004. The system notices the presence of the consumable container, for example, by detecting opening of the door 5004 using a light barrier. In one embodiment, the system may remember that the door was open before so closing the door may indicate presence of the container 5002.

In step 5204, the system determines whether consumables were filled in the container 5002 by means of a level detection sensor. In one embodiment, an ultrasonic sensor may be used to detect the fill level H₁ as discussed with reference to FIG. 9. In another embodiment, a simple light barrier may be used to detect the level.

In step 5206, it is determined if the consumables were filled to a defined maximum level.

In step 5208, an alert message may be sent to the operator if the consumables were not filled to a desired maximum level.

In step 5210, a consumable counter may be set to a defined maximum value.

In step 5212, status of the subsystem is set to “functional” again so that the objects may be removed from the consumable container as discussed with reference to FIGS. 11, 12A-12C.

In one embodiment, when two consumable containers are used instead of a single consumable container, one of the two consumable containers may be refilled without interrupting the work cycle of the system.

As discussed above, embodiments of the invention provide different fill levels of objects in the container. A notification message may be sent to an operator for different fill levels so that an appropriate action may be taken. Further, by making use of more than one container, the containers may be replaced without interrupting the work cycle of the system.

Computer Architecture

The various participants and elements described herein with reference to the figures may operate one or more computer apparatuses to facilitate the functions described herein. Any of the elements in the above description, including any servers, processors, or databases, may use any suitable number of subsystems to facilitate the functions described herein, such as, e.g., functions for operating and/or controlling the functional units and modules of the laboratory automation system, transportation systems, the scheduler, the central controller, local controllers, etc.

Examples of such subsystems or components are shown in FIG. 17. The subsystems shown in FIG. 17 are interconnected via a system bus 10. Additional subsystems such as a printer 18, keyboard 26, fixed disk 28 (or other memory comprising computer readable media), monitor 22, which is coupled to display adapter 20, and others are shown. Peripherals and input/output (I/O) devices, which couple to I/O controller 12 (which can be a processor or other suitable controller), can be connected to the computer system by any number of means known in the art, such as serial port 24. For example, serial port 24 or external interface 30 can be used to connect the computer apparatus to a wide area network such as the Internet, a mouse input device, or a scanner. The interconnection via system bus allows the central processor 16 to communicate with each subsystem and to control the execution of instructions from system memory 14 or the fixed disk 28, as well as the exchange of information between subsystems. The system memory 14 and/or the fixed disk 28 may embody a computer readable medium.

It should be understood that the present technology as described above can be implemented in the form of control logic using computer software (stored in a tangible physical medium) in a modular or integrated manner. Furthermore, the present technology may be implemented in the form and/or combination of any image processing. Based on the disclosure and teachings provided herein, a person of ordinary skill in the art will know and appreciate other ways and/or methods to implement the present technology using hardware and a combination of hardware and software

Any of the software components or functions described in this application, may be implemented as software code to be executed by a processor using any suitable computer language such as, for example, Java, C++ or Perl using, for example, conventional or object-oriented techniques. The software code may be stored as a series of instructions, or commands on a computer readable medium, such as a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a magnetic medium such as a hard-drive or a floppy disk, or an optical medium such as a CD-ROM. Any such computer readable medium may reside on or within a single computational apparatus, and may be present on or within different computational apparatuses within a system or network.

The above description is illustrative and is not restrictive. Many variations of the technology will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the disclosure. The scope of the technology should, therefore, be determined not with reference to the above description, but instead should be determined with reference to the pending claims along with their full scope or equivalents.

One or more features from any embodiment may be combined with one or more features of any other embodiment without departing from the scope of the technology.

A recitation of “a”, “an” or “the” is intended to mean “one or more” unless specifically indicated to the contrary.

All patents, patent applications, publications, and descriptions mentioned above are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes. None is admitted to be prior art. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for handling objects, the system comprising: a container for holding the objects; a processor; and a sensor unit communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the sensor unit is configured to generate a first output by detecting a fill level of objects in the container, and wherein the processor is configured to determine a number of objects in the container based on a number of objects counted by the processor and a number of objects estimated by the processor using the first output.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is further configured to generate second outputs by detecting the presence of objects passing into the container.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the number of objects counted by the processor is determined based on the second outputs from the sensor unit.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the number of objects counted by the processor is determined based on outputs generated by an object handling unit when objects are removed from the container.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the number of objects in the container is X, and wherein X=(N_(count)*W_(count))+(N_(meas)*W_(meas)), where N_(count)=the number of objects counted by the processor, W_(count)=a first weight factor for counted objects, N_(meas)=the number of objects estimated using a measurement based on the first output, and W_(meas)=a second weight factor for estimation from measurement.
 6. The system of claim 5, wherein N_(meas) is i determined by the following formula: N _(meas)=(H ₁* cross sectional area (container))/volume of the object, where H ₁ is the fill level.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a number of objects that can additionally fit in the container, which is determined by subtracting the number of objects in the container from a maximum number of objects that will fit in the container.
 8. The system of claim 1 wherein the container is a waste container.
 9. The system of claim 1 wherein the container is a consumable container.
 10. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a chute coupled to the container.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to generate an alert when the number of objects in the container is equal to or exceeds a maximum number of objects that will fit in the container.
 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the objects include at least one of a tube, a cap, a pipette or a capillary.
 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit comprises an ultrasonic sensor.
 14. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit comprises a long range sensor and a short range sensor.
 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the long range sensor and the short range sensor are ultrasonic sensors.
 16. The system of claim 14, wherein the long range sensor is an ultrasonic sensor and the short range sensor is an optical sensor.
 17. The system of claim 1, wherein the objects include specimen containers.
 18. A method comprising: determining, by a processor, an estimated number of objects in a container based on a first output from a sensor unit communicatively coupled to the processor; counting, by the processor, a number of objects; and determining, by the processor, the number of objects in the container based on the counting and the estimated number of objects based on the first output.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the number of objects in the container is X, and wherein X=(N_(count)*W_(count))+(N_(meas)*W_(meas)), where N_(count)=the number of objects counted by the processor, W_(count)=a first weight factor for counted objects, N_(meas)=the number of objects estimated using a measurement based on the first output, and W_(meas)=a second weight factor for estimation from measurement.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein W_(count) and W_(meas) vary based on the number of objects in the container.
 21. The method of claim 19, wherein W_(count) is one and W_(meas) is zero when there are less than ten objects in the container.
 22. The method of claim 19, wherein W_(count) is zero and W_(meas) is one when there are more than fifty objects in the container.
 23. The method of claim 19, wherein N_(meas) is determined by the following formula: N _(meas)=(H ₁*cross sectional area (container))/volume of the object, where H ₁ is the fill level.
 24. The method of claim 18, further comprising: passing an object into the container; and incrementing, by the processor, a counter value based on a second output from the sensor unit.
 25. The method of claim 18, wherein a number of objects that can additionally fit in the container is determined by subtracting the number of objects in the container from a maximum number of objects that will fit in the container.
 26. The method of claim 18, further comprising: removing objects from the container; and decrementing, by the processor, a counter value based on an output from an object handling unit.
 27. The method of claim 26, further comprising: determining, by the processor, if the container is filled with objects to a defined maximum level before removing the object.
 28. The method of claim 27, further comprising: generating, by the processor, an alert message if the container is not filled with objects to the defined maximum level.
 29. The method of claim 18, further comprising: generating, by the processor, a notification message when a predefined level of objects in the container is reached. 